Syrmaticus ellioti

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	GALLIFORMES	PHASIANIDAE

Scientific Name:

Syrmaticus ellioti

Species Authority:

(Swinhoe, 1872)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Chinese Barred-backed Pheasant, Elliot's Pheasant
Spanish	–	Faisán de Elliot

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Fellowes, J., He, F., Ping, D., Wei, L. & Zhang, Z.

Justification:
Despite the presence of habitat loss and hunting as on-going threats, there is no clear evidence that the species is undergoing a dramatic decline. However, it is precautionarily retained as Near Threatened, although further evidence that the species is not declining may lead to further downlisting in the future.

History:

2010	–	Near Threatened
2008	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Syrmaticus ellioti is endemic to south-east China, where it has been recorded from Guizhou, Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi and Guangdong (BirdLife International 2001). It was believed to be declining rapidly within its highly fragmented habitat and to no longer occur at many former localities (Ding Ping in litt. 2005, Zhang Zhengwang in litt. 2005). However, in recent years its known range has been greatly extended to the west (Ding Ping in litt. 2005, Zhang Zhengwang in litt. 2005) and there have been reports that it is locally common. Surveys in Guangxi and Guandong failed to record the species in or Guandong, and a 2004 survey estimated the population density in Guanshan Nature Reserve, Jiangxi to be 0.063 individuals/ha(Ding Ping in litt. 2005), but other reports suggest it occurs at densities of up to 6 individuals/km²(Ding Ping in litt. 2005, J. Fellowes in litt. 2007). Considerable survey effort over 20 years in China suggests that the species is relatively widespread and given recent records that have extended the known range and estimated population densities the global population size may exceed 100,000 (even approaching 200,000) individuals (J. Fellowes in litt. 2007; He Fen-qi in litt. 2007, 2010). Furthermore, there appears to be no evidence indicating that the population has undergone dramatic declines (He Fen-qi in litt. 2007, 2010).
Countries:	Native: China
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Ongoing and extensive survey efforts have led to a global population estimate of c.100,000-200,000 individuals (Fellowes, J. in litt. 2007; He Fen-qi in litt. 2007), while the population in China has been estimated at <c.10,000 breeding pairs (Brazil 2009).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It occurs in a wide variety of subtropical forest-types, and sometimes in scrub vegetation between 200 m and 1,900 m. The most important habitats are broadleaf forest (both evergreen and deciduous) and mixed coniferous and broadleaf forest. Its preferred breeding habitat is forest with a tree cover of more than 90%.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Most of the natural forest within its range has been cleared or modified as a result of the demands for agricultural land and timber, but natural forest clearance has been illegal since 1998. Current threats include the burning of forest by man-made hill fires, collection of firewood, and illegal hunting (Liang Wei in litt. 2004).

Major Threat(s):

Most of the natural forest within its range has been cleared or modified as a result of the demands for agricultural land and timber, but natural forest clearance has been illegal since 1998. Current threats include the burning of forest by man-made hill fires, collection of firewood, and illegal hunting (Liang Wei in litt. 2004).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I. It is a nationally-protected species in China and is listed as Near Threatened on the China Species Red List. There are many protected areas in or near to its range, but most of these are relatively small and isolated, and it is not clear how many contain large enough areas of suitable forest to support viable populations. Guanshan Nature Reserve (Jiangxi) appears to support a significant population. Other protected areas where it has been recorded include Fanjing Shan, Leigong Shan, Qingliangfeng, Wuyanling, Wuyishan, Gutianshan and Jinggangshan Nature Reserves. Guizhou has recently set up two nature reserves in areas where the species is known to occur; one in Rongjiang county and another in Congjiang county (Liang Wei in litt. 2004). The genetic structure of populations in five provinces was recently studied (Jiang et al. 2007). Conservation Actions Proposed Develop a robust population monitoring methodology to allow monitoring of key protected areas. Promote conservation education and better law enforcement to prevent illegal logging and poaching in protected areas. Ensure that the species's needs are fully reflected in management plans for key protected areas and that staff are adequately trained. Conduct research to assess its tolerance to disturbance. Consider focussing some research and management resources on the relatively isolated population in Guizhou province (Jiang et al. 2007).

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I. It is a nationally-protected species in China and is listed as Near Threatened on the China Species Red List. There are many protected areas in or near to its range, but most of these are relatively small and isolated, and it is not clear how many contain large enough areas of suitable forest to support viable populations. Guanshan Nature Reserve (Jiangxi) appears to support a significant population. Other protected areas where it has been recorded include Fanjing Shan, Leigong Shan, Qingliangfeng, Wuyanling, Wuyishan, Gutianshan and Jinggangshan Nature Reserves. Guizhou has recently set up two nature reserves in areas where the species is known to occur; one in Rongjiang county and another in Congjiang county (Liang Wei in litt. 2004). The genetic structure of populations in five provinces was recently studied (Jiang et al. 2007).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Develop a robust population monitoring methodology to allow monitoring of key protected areas. Promote conservation education and better law enforcement to prevent illegal logging and poaching in protected areas. Ensure that the species's needs are fully reflected in management plans for key protected areas and that staff are adequately trained. Conduct research to assess its tolerance to disturbance. Consider focussing some research and management resources on the relatively isolated population in Guizhou province (Jiang et al. 2007).

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Syrmaticus ellioti. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
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